Wire-working tool.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907..

M. HAYS. WIRE WORKINGYTOOL.

'AI PLIOATION FILED NOV.14.'1906.

2 SHBBTS'SHEET 1.

In: NORRIS PETERS cm, WASNINGI'ON, n c,

PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

M. HAYS. WIRE WORKING TOOL.-

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.14. 1906. v

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MORRIS HAYS, OF MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-WORKING TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application filed November 14,1906. Serial No. 343,876..

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRIS HAYs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Monmouth, in the county of Warren and State of Illinois,have invented new and useful Improvements in VVire-Working Tools, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention is a wire working tool, designed particularly for joiningor interlocking wires by twisting, bending, curling or winding one aboutthe other. It is also capable of use upon a single wire, for crimping,bending or straightening the same.

The invention is particularly adapted for the manufacture of wirefences, and for the attachment of stay Wires to line wires. The tool isnot limited to this use, however, but may be used with advantage inmaking wire articles or receptacles of any kind, such as racks, baskets,flower frames, trellises, screens, tree guards and the like, or anyother woven wire structure.

The device has the advantage that it is comparatively light, small, andcheap, and

expensive preparation or other appliances are necessary in the usethereof.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 2 is a side View. Fig. 3 is abottom view. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of opposite ends. Fig. 6 is across-section on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view showing thedevice applied in first position to twist a stay wire around a linewire. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the same in second position, or withthe twist partially completed, the view being taken from the oppositeside of the fence to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view showing the formation of asimple twist or splice. Fig. 10 is a view showing the manner of crimpinga wire.

The device is made of metal, preferably of cast iron, and has a hollowshell or body 6, which has the general outline or shape of a grip, andis of proper and sufficient size to be clasped in one hand while beingworked, and it is shaped to fit the normal bend of the palm and fingersso that a firm grip can be taken. On the under or bottom side the bodyhas a longitudinal slot or opening 7, with irregular edges. The slot iswide enough to admit a wire of any ordinary size, whether barbed or not,and the body acts as a shield and protection to the hand in working uponbarbed or any other wire.

The ends of the shell or body are provided with openings 8 and 9,respectively, being formed by a continuation of the slot 7, so that whenthe device is applied to a wire the latter will pass through the slotand extend through the openings. Thus the body practically surrounds orincloses the wire and can be moved along the same from one place toanother, or turned or rotated thereon.

At one end, the device has projecting lugs or hooks 10 and 11. These arelocated on the under side of the body at one end. of the slot 7 and theyproject substantially lengthwise with respect to the longitudinal axisof the body, and are located on opposite sides of the opening 8. Onehook or lug, 10, projects farther than the other, and has a morepronounced hook, which is presented upwardly or toward the top of theimplement. At the same end, the end wall 12 of the shell projects orinclines over or beyond the hook, and is provided with a curved edge 13formed where the top of the shell oins the end wall. Also, at the sameend, the edges of the slot 7 are indented on opposite sides as indicatedat 14 and 15, said indentations being located just behind the hooks 10and 11. At the opposite end of the body it is provided with a singlehook or lug 16 located beside the open ing 9 and at the end of slot 7.This hook projects lengthwise and turns upwardly beside the opening, andis particularly useful for splicing.

In the use of the device,for a simple twist or splice, as for attachinga stay wire to the top line wire of a fence, the shell is sleeved orplaced over the line wire 17, as shown in Fig. 9, with the hook 16engaging the stay wire 18 on the side opposite the line wire 17. Then,by simply turning the body around, with the line wire 17 as a pivot, asimple twist is formed, as indicated at 19 in Fig. 9. It will be seenthat the tool can be instantly slid along the line wire to the place forthe neXt stay wire. In splicing the ends of two wires, they are drawntogether and crossed and held by a pair of pliers in one hand, and thepresent tool is applied first on one side and then on the other, withthe hook 16 engaging the free ends respectively, which are then twistedaround the other wire.

For interlocking or connecting crossed wires, the tool is placed on theline wire 20 on the side opposite to the stay 18, and the hook 10 isengaged behind the stay as shown in Fig. 7. The tool is then turned,causing the hook 10 to take up a loop in the stay wire, as indicated at21 in Fig. 8, and continued turn of the tool causes said loop to beWound around the line wire to form the lock. During the turn of the toolthe inclined and overhanging edge 13 comes in contact with the stay wirein advance of the hook, and forces said stay wire off and out, asindicated at 22 in Fig. 8, so that the hook and loop will pass to formthe lock without catching in the stay wire.

The operation may be very quickly performed, and on its completion thetool can be instantly detached and passed on or down to the next place.

For crimping or bending wire, as shown for example in Fig. 10, the toolis placed on the strand so that the wire passes through the opening 8and through one or the other of the indentations 14 or 15 under the heelof the hooks 10 and 1].. This gives two points of contact with the wireand enables the tool to be used as a lever,which will crimp or bend thewire to the extent desired.

Various other uses will suggest themselves or will be learned byexperience in the operation of the device, which contains, in a noveland compact form, means to perform about all the operations necessary inmakingwire fences or other woven Wire articles.

I claim:

1. A wire working tool comprising a hollow body having a slot along oneside and openings in the ends of said body and at the ends of the slot,and a projecting hook beside one of said openings, said hook extendingendwise with respect to the axis of the body, and curved at its endlaterally and outwardly in a direction at an angle to said axis.

2. A wire working tool comprising a .hol-

low body having openings at opposite ends, and a hook beside one of saidopenings, and also having an inclined projecting edge at the end,extending endwise beyond thehook.

3. A wire working tool comprising a hollow body having an opening at theend and a slot in the side extending to said opening, an

indentation in the edge of the slot, and a projection on said edge,between'the indentation and the opening. s

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MORRIS HAYS.

Witnesses:

M. C. PORTER, O. D. TOURTELLOTT.

